1: Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a saddle support device (orthotic) to compensate for the variations between the compound curved surfaces of animal backs and the corresponding compound curved surfaces of saddles. In particular, this disclosure is directed to a saddle support device and an adjustable form jig and method to build the saddle support device with the adjustable form jig, to correct for the variation between the compound curved surfaces of animal backs and the corresponding compound curved surfaces of saddles, in order to permit a variety of saddles to fit an individual animal's back, so that the animal's back is protected from trauma.
This disclosure includes an adjustable form jig attachment to a measurement device, U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,262, A Gauge and Method for Measuring Animal Backs and Saddles, with transverse linkages for defining the compound curved surfaces of the animals back, that can have an additional adjustable form jig mechanism added to create a polyform fair curve between the transverse linkages, to create an adjustable form jig representing the compound curved surface of the weighted animal's back, in order that a thermoplastic or catalytic plastic can be draped or pressed over the adjustable form jig, to create a compound curved panel saddle support device part comprising at least one single contiguous member comprising two distinct panels or bars, spaced apart, resting on either side of the animals spine, connected by at least one alignment arch crossing over the spine at a distance, creating an saddle support device that is substantially the same shape as the loaded animal's back, which can provide pressure relief for the animal's back created by variations in saddle construction. This same adjustable form jig could be placed on a similar structure with a different transverse linkage mechanism and effect a similar result.
Employing the method of measurement and fabrication, a semi-rigid saddle support structure can be made that will fit the weighted animal's back, to protect the animal from the variations in construction of the saddle shape.
2: Related Art
For centuries, people have ridden horses with a multitude of different saddles, but with very little scientific understanding of the effect of the saddle on the animal's back. The issue of saddle fit is not only important in the context of the humane treatment of the animal, but has even greater importance to equestrians who participate in sports that demand greater athletic performance from the animal. Signs of saddle related trauma include behavior problems, tenderness, loss of hair, white hairs, open sores, and certain forms of lameness.
Current methods of saddle fitting include using baling wire, flexible curves, cardboard templates, plaster casts, and recently thermoform sheets have been introduced. Until recently, the most sophisticated device was a pegboard. This centuries old device is comprised of a flat board, with usually about one hundred holes through which dowels are fitted. By placing this device on the animal's back and adjusting the individual dowels so that they each just touch the surface of the animal a mirror image of the shape of the un-weighted animal's back can be duplicated.
The disadvantage to the pegboard device and all other methods previously employed is that the effect of the weight of the rider on the shape of the animal's back is not considered. While the current commercial understanding of saddle fit assumes that the shape of the un-weighted animal's back is the preferred saddle fit, objective interface pressure measurement has proven this not to be true.
By employing U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,379, A Curve Conforming Sensor Array and Method for Measuring Pressures between a Saddle and a Horse it has been revealed that the weight of the rider causes sufficient deflection to the animal's back to cause the saddle that is fitted to the un-weighted animal not to fit when the animal the weighted. The reason for this is: the animal's back sags a little bit under the additional rider weight; which is significant enough to cause “bridging” meaning that the saddle only touches on the wither and the loin of the animal, causing trauma to the animal, from higher pressure.
A more significant disadvantage to all prior devices and methods to fit saddles is that these devices and methods do not provide any numerical or calibrated measurement. Without numerical values the error in these devices cannot be determined or corrected.
Prior to 1993, there had never been an objective method to determine saddle fit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,379. This interface pressure measurement device can be used to adjust the saddle to the animal by trial and error, however; this is not practical in general commerce. Another disadvantage to this sensor array is that it does not provide the three-dimensional coordinates required to relate the shape of the saddle to the shape of the animal's back, so the correct saddle can be chosen or adjusted to fit the animal. However, by employing this interface pressure measurement device in conjunction with a three dimensional measurement gauge and the additional mechanisms disclosed in this specification and method, the amount of deflection in the animal's spine caused by the weight of the rider can be determined and reduced a formula and the formula can be adjusted to compensate for additional factors, such breed, age or conditioning, in order to fabricate a two distinct panel saddle support device with an alignment arch to protect the animal's back from trauma.
The majority of saddles do not fit the animal's they are used upon, because there is no database. Until recently, no one has measured thousands of horses, and based on this data, been able to determine what similar shapes might exist, so that measured saddle trees could be fabricated. Without this information, it is an impossible task to mate two polyform shapes without any measurement data describing either of the two shapes. The result of this error is that the curvature of the saddles are generally flatter than the curvature of the animals backs. So the shape of the saddle causes “Bridging” on the shoulder and loin of the animal, which causes higher pressures that injure the animal.
Traditionally, English saddles were made with large panels filled with horsehair that could be adjusted to some degree to compensate for the variations in the shape of the animal backs. In order to increase production, modern English saddles are fitted with foam panels that are not adjustable; so one size must fit all. In addition, Modem English saddle trees are made from ancient molds that do not reflect the shape of the backs of modern breeds of animals, further causing these saddles to bridge and thereby injuring the animal.
A similar problem occurs with Western saddles. The bars that lay adjacent to the horse's spine are duplicated in solid wood using a metal pattern template. In an effort to reduce costs, the tree makers make the parts from the smallest possible dimensions since the waste in this manufacturing process is significant. This process limits the amount of curvature of the bar, creating a flatter bar than required. Therefore, the same “bridging” occurs with Western Saddles, because the saddle bars are flatter than the shape of the animals back.
Additionally, the saddle industry does not employ any method of three dimensional measurement. English saddles are sized in Narrow, Regular and Wide. Alternatively, Western saddles are sized in “quarter horse” or “semi-quarter horse” fit. The truth is these relative terms really do not mean anything, because each company interprets the terms differently, so the saddle customer has no way to relate the shape of the saddle to this shape of the animal's back.
As a practical matter, fitting the vast multitude of shapes of animal backs becomes a permutation nightmare. To simply illustrate: if one takes cross sections of the animal's back in only three places 1, 2, & 3 and then only considers two different angles at each cross section and then only consider two angles A & B between each cross section the permutation would be 2×2×2×2×2=32 different combinations. There is no way that one; two or even three sizes could fit the majority of animal backs.
So equestrians are faced with an impossible situation to fit a saddle to their animal. Most equestrians employ saddle pads in an attempt to solve the problem. Saddle pads can provide subtle improvements to a saddle that fits properly. However, a poorly fitting saddle cannot be properly fitted by just adding a saddle pad. The reason for this is that whatever material makes up the pad, when it is compressed by the weight of the rider it makes the material denser. Therefore, the high spots are pressed denser than low spots, so rather than being softer in the high spots the pads are actually denser or harder right where you want them to be softer.
Although pads do tend to even out some of the irregularities of the saddle panel, saddle pads generally cannot permit an ill-fitting saddle to fit properly. In certain situations a saddle pad can actually make the fit even worse. This situation often occurs with horses that have a steep angle to the shoulders (withers). In this situation the gullet becomes significantly narrower with the thicker pad and can make a saddle no longer fit Until of law of physics are repealed, saddle pads, made from a uniform density material cannot adjust for a poorly fitting saddle that has significant variations from the shape of the animal.
Therefore, all known prior art has focused on either shaping the saddle tree to a limited number of defined shapes and placing this saddle tree on some softer material to act as a cushion, or to make the saddle tree or the saddle panels flexible.
There have been attempts to mold a shell like structure in catalytic plastic to be attached to or fitting under the saddle tree. These structures are made by making a plaster cast of the animals back and then molding a plastic part inside of this resulting plaster mold. These structures comprise a continuous plastic structure to which felt or cushioning material is attached to the underside, for padding. Since the mold is taken from the unloaded animal, the effect of the weight of the rider cannot be considered, and a resulting error is introduced: In addition, because these structures are made from a finite number of molds, and animal's back are more variable, it is virtually impossible to match the shape of the continuous shell to the shape of the animal without measurement and the design fails for the same reasons noted above.
An additional saddle tree construction method has been to employ portions of the measurement device described in this specification, (U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,262) without the use of the additional adjustable form jig mechanism, to mold individual plywood veneer with glue, into the compound curve bar similar to the shape of the weighted horse's back and then attaching the two bars in the traditional manner, in the front with an arched wooded fork and at the back with a arched wooden cantle. This saddle tree bar structure replaces the traditional wooden saddle tree bar and is covered with leather or plastic.
There is no known prior art of introducing a saddle support structure comprising a measured three-dimensional semi-rigid plastic part comprising two distinct panels that rest on either side of the animals spine and are connected by at least one single alignment arch, which crosses over the spine at a distance, to be placed between the saddle tree and the softer' padding material, to correct for the variations in the construction of saddle tree itself. To be successful, this saddle support device would be required to be accurately measured to each individual animal, which would permit the effect of the weight of the rider relative to the weight of the animal to be considered, as a means of correcting the variation between the two surfaces. If the structure was sufficiently semi-rigid to protect the animal from the variations in the individual' saddles shape, a variety of saddles could be used on one animal significantly improving the health of the animal. If the saddle were then fitted properly to the saddle support device, the saddle support device would not need to compensate for the variations between the saddle and the animal's back and therefore could employ the material properties of the plastic material to act as a molded spring to flex with the animal when in motion.
This disclosure includes employing a measurement device with transverse linkages, (U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,262) that can have an additional adjustable form jig mechanism added to create a fair curve between the transverse linkages, to create an adjustable form jig representing the three dimensional shape of the loaded animal's back, in order that a thermoplastic or catalytic plastic can be placed over the form, to create a three dimensional part comprising two distinct panels resting spaced apart on either side of the animal's spine connected with at least one single alignment arch, crossing over the spine at a distance, inserted above two independent foam and fleece padded structures, that is substantially the same shape as the loaded animal's back. Employing the method of construction a semi-rigid saddle support device can be made that will fit over the animal's back, to protect the loaded animal from higher pressures caused by the variations in the saddle's construction or alternately if the saddle is properly fitted would permit the saddle support device panel to flex with the animal's back when the animal is in motion.